In the pale luster of the rock, the engraving appears with a faint, almost ghostly finesse. The eye trained in the study of ancient glyptics and Roman intaglios can however see a human silhouette emerging there. A man in a tunic carrying a sheep on his shoulders. The iconographic type, well known to specialists, is that of the Good Shepherd, an allegory of Christ commonly used in early Christian art, between the 3rd and 6th centuries. The gold ring in which the stone was embedded was part of the rich cargo of a 4th century Roman ship. Its wreck, discovered off Caesarea (Israel) was this fall the subject of a meticulous excavation of underwater archeology, the Israel Antiquities Authority (AIA) announced on Wednesday.
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According to the AIA, the vessel in question was discovered in shallow water, about four meters below sea level. After combing through the last few months by a specialized unit familiar with underwater excavations, it would be 1700 years old, which dates from around the year 320. Either in the reign of Emperor Constantine, the Roman ruler who puts an end to the repression of early Christianity and establishes freedom of culture in the empire.
"At
that time, Christianity was in its infancy, but was undeniably developing, especially in mixed-population towns like Caesarea,
" Helena Sokolov, curator in charge of coins at the
Césarea
, told AFP on Wednesday. AIA.
Christian ring from the Roman Empire unveiled in Israel
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Early Christianity
The image of the Good Shepherd, engraved in the stone of the ring, is typical of Christian art of this period, although it is rare to find representations of it in Roman glyptics.
The iconographic type is also prized for its ambivalent nature.
It certainly summons up the pastoral symbolism of Christ, quoting a passage from the Gospel of Luke (15.4), but also a whole pagan repertoire, such as that associated with the myth of Orpheus - the charmer of animals - or the person of Hermes says
Criophore
, that is to say
"carrier of lamb"
.
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According to Helena Sokolov, the small jewel would have belonged to a woman, possibly a resident of Caesarea, which was then one of the most flourishing ports of the Roman Empire. But also one of the first centers of early Christianity. Another precious stone discovered by archaeologists in the bowels of the Roman wreck was engraved with the image of a lyre, identified - according to an AIA statement - with
"Kinor David"
in Jewish tradition. The remainder of the unearthed treasure included several hundred bronze and silver Roman coins dated to the mid-3rd century, as well as various bronze figurines. The most remarkable represent an imperial eagle, as well as a pantomime actor, recognizable by his grotesque mask.
The Roman wreck excavated this fall was located near a second ship, dated to the Mamluk era, around the 14th century.
For its part, it concealed an important monetary treasure of gold dinars.
"The two ships were probably anchored nearby when they must have been wrecked during a storm,"
said underwater archaeologists cited by the AIA.
Last October, the same unit was also alerted by an amateur diver to the discovery off Atlit of a sword dated from the Third Crusade.